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Why I Left It All Behind to Travel the World

How many times have you seen “I Quit My Job to Travel the World – And You Should, Too!” posts in your newsfeed lately? The leave-it-all-behind-and-travel philosophy has grown in popularity over the last few years, and I wasn’t immune to it.

I made the decision last January that I wanted to travel, full-time. I mentioned in last week’s post (see: How to Talk to Loved Ones About Travel), something about baring my soul about my reasons for deciding to travel here on this blog, and I realized, I haven’t exactly done that. The reasons I wanted to leave it all behind and travel full-time are pretty personal. Everyone feels called to travel (or does NOT feel called to travel) for different reasons, and I certainly have my own.

That said, I felt like it was time to share these with you guys. Maybe some of you are going through some of the same things, and looking for a solution. That solution just might be traveling.

Here’s why I left it all behind to travel the world:

I Caught the Wanderlust Bug

I took a trip in 2014 that changed my life (See: An American Girl in Europe). I took time away from my fancy corporate marketing job for the first time since college, packed up, and headed off to Europe for a 25-day trip of a lifetime. I joined a tour because I was nervous to travel solo (ha!), and explored Europe with new friends on the Contiki European Vista.

This trip opened my eyes to the thrill of travel. Even though we were moving at a much faster pace compared to how I like to travel now, this was the inciting incident for my wanderlust. After this trip, the idea of returning to a cubicle was nearly intolerable. I had to see and do more before I could settle into a full-time job again.

I Was Heartbroken

Well, there it is. The baring my soul part of this post.

I spent the first five years of my twenties in an on/off relationship with someone who was never truly committed to me. I saw all the signs from the beginning, but I did the typical love-struck routine of convincing myself that everything would work out.

Needless to say, it didn’t work out…and when it finally ended, it ended more horribly than I could have possibly imagined.

That was last October (2014). It was January 2015 that I made the choice to travel, and I would be lying to myself and everyone reading this if I said this wasn’t a huge factor in my decision to leave the Bay Area and hit the road.

After five years of hiding the wanderlust in my heart because he didn’t share that passion (See: Traveling When Your Significant Other Doesn’t Want To), I was finally ready to follow my dream. I could seek adventure, passion and new worlds without anything or anyone holding me back, so that’s what I chose.

I’m an Introvert

While I could spend hours writing about the misconceptions associated with the word “introvert,” I’ll sum it up by saying this: I LOVE people. I LOVE being social. But only when I feel like it. Sometimes I need some space to recharge, and sometimes I need a few chatter-free minutes (or hours) to center myself.

Travel is the very best “cure” for my introverted-ness that I’ve ever found. When in my comfort zone (like when I was home in the Bay Area), I never found the drive to push outside of that introverted-ness. Nothing new or spectacular was happening, so why go out tonight? I could always go out next weekend.

I’m the complete opposite when I travel. Every city is a new adventure, and every night in Paris, Rome or Prague feels like one that will never happen to me again…so why on Earth would I stay inside?

Travel pushes me to put myself out there, talk to strangers, make new friends, and avoid Friday nights at home. I needed this more than I can describe at this point in my life, so my introverted-ness turned out to be a huge factor in my decision.

I Didn’t Know Where My Life Was Headed

There was a point in my life when I thought I knew exactly what I wanted, and it included everything on the “traditional path” we always hear so much about: Marriage, children, a cute little house with a white picket fence, etc., etc.

But there came a time (See “I Was Heartbroken,” above) when I realized that I might not truly want some of those things. Perhaps I only wanted them because I was told I should?

What it came down to is that I’m not 100% sure anymore that I would like to get married, and I’ve been feeling like I may not want to have kids of my own. These feelings could absolutely change down the road (and somehow, part of me actually hopes that they do), but for now, I am searching for other ways to fulfill myself and live an exciting and adventurous life if these things aren’t in the cards for me.

When I asked myself what that looked like, travel was the answer.

Anything Could Happen

I felt so stalled in the predictability of my everyday life back home in California. I would wake up, get ready, sit in an hour and a half of traffic to get to work, sit in an hour and half of traffic to get home, make dinner, watch the Bachelor, go to sleep.

When I’m traveling, NOTHING is predictable. Sometimes that’s for the better, and sometimes for worse. Still, there is something so thrilling about waking up every morning and not knowing where the world is going to take you.

I feel this way when I’m on vacation, and I realized that a life of travel would allow me to feel it every day, so I took the plunge.

There you have it – my reasons for leaving it all behind to travel the world. Would you ever consider a life of full-time travel, or maybe an extended vacation? Let me know in the comments below!

29 Responses

This is beyond awesome, to finally decide to officially make the choice and travel. It’s so hard to explain the drive and passion you feel about traveling to anyone, so your blog is my safehaven that someday it’ll all work out. I’ve just recently stumbled upon your blog but I will definitely follow your posts! Safe travels and have fun!

Hi, just read your profile! I love it so much. This is something that I would like to do soon,before I get older and don’t have energy left . Just turned 40. How do you make a living and still have time to travel.?

After 25 years in a corporate environment I was let go when my company merged with another company. I’ve been given a nice severance package (i.e. I still have. Good income for a while) so I’ve taken this opportunity to figure out what I actually want out of life. As I write this I am just finishing up a month in Italy! I too have the travel bug, am an introvert, and love to travel solo. I find that booking group day trips allows me to meet new people and socialize while still having time to myself. I have decided that I no longer want corporate life so I’m working on my certification to be able to teach English abroad. That way I can travel and have some income and a social network for peace of mind. Good luck in your adventures!

This is such an inspiring post! My husband and I live in Sacramento, CA, and we’ve both been bitten by the travel bug. So much so that we now run a tourism website for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Having taken our daughters (now 24 and 22) on international trips throughout their childhoods has had a huge positive impact on their lives. They love traveling internationally and do so whenever they can. But taking a huge leap of faith like you’ve just done is brave, exciting and something that in the future you will not regret having done in your youth. I send a million good wishes your way for a fabulous year of travel in 2016. And I look forward to reading about all your adventures. 🙂

Thank you so much for the words of encouragement, confettiandbliss! How fantastic that your girls were able to grow up traveling — that’s a great blessing! Puerto Vallarta is absolutely beautiful, I would love to get back there someday. Shoot me the link to your site if you get a chance 🙂 Safe travels! xo

I just came across your blog and am so inspired! I’ve had my heart broken as well, and that actually lead me to move from Florida to DC. Not quite on the level of traveling the world for a year, but I completely understand where you are coming from! I wish you the best of luck and can’t wait to follow along!

Very inspiring and personal post, Tami. I’m a bit of an introvert as well, and I have done a lot of solo traveling myself. It forces you out of your comfort zone and compels you to experience things you would never do alone at home. I wish you the best of luck over the next year and look forward to reading about your adventures!

Love this post. Great reasons to leave it all behind. You truly learn so much while traveling about yourself and the world we live in. I hope someday I can do this or at least knock out all the National Parks off my list 🙂

If you’re able, definitely try to take some time to get to the National Parks, Christine! I did a three-week solo road trip this year to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain National Parks, and it was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done! I’ve never seen such beauty. Safe travels! xo

Super inspiring. I do love to travel. I don’t know that I am at the place where I want to just go full on wanderlust because I just kind of hit a new phase in my life and it’s rocking but I could see myself doing that one day when I feel the urge. I really admire you for taking the plunge and letting go of the on and again off again. I had one of those and all it did was leave me seriously emotional messed up lol
I can’t wait to hear more of your adventures.

So happy to hear that you’re in such a good place right now, Dia! I feel like I finally hit that place and it’s an amazing feeling. Thank you for your kind words. Wishing you all the best in the New Year! xo

i feel like we may be sole mate! i have the wanderlust bug but my budget wont allow me to travel as much as i would like. stuck in a mundane job, albeit one that allow me to travel on the companies dime i wait for my next adventure. you hit the nail on the head with being home and not wanting to go out but being in a new city i want to see and experience everything! why sleep where there is something new to be seen! i am so excited to see how 2016 turns out for you. i will definitely live vicariously though your travels.

Thank you for the sweet words, whostardis. Finding the funds to travel can be the toughest part, but keep saving and don’t lose sight of the dream! It’s so nice that your job allows you to travel – take advantage of that while you can. 🙂 Best of luck, and safe travels! xo